Archon's Heart
by Dannylionthe1st
Summary: Loki's failed attempt to take Earth has caught the attention of an ancient race, the Djinn. They decide that it is time to return to Earth. And they need only one object to get them there. The race is on for the quest to find the Archon's Heart. Can the Avenger's beat them to it? HawkeyeXOC.
1. The Djinn

**Summary: Loki's failed attempt to take Earth has caught the attention of an ancient race, the Djinn. They decide that it is time to return to Earth. And they need only one object to get them there. The race is on for the quest to find the Archon's Heart. Can the Avenger's beat them to it? HawkeyeXOC.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is Avengers.**

**A/N: This is movie canon only as I have never read the comics and know little else about them. Hope you enjoy. Thanks to my two betas, Movieexpert and Jen Lennon. Reviews/concrit are awesome. **

* * *

"Welcome to Asgard," Odin, the king of Asgard, said in a polite voice as he stood up from his throne and welcomed the three visitors, two males and a female.

To a complete stranger, the three looked as if they had stepped out an "Arabian Nights" fairytale. The two males' clothes were the same in color and decorations. There was a symbol in the middle of their shirt that was bronze. The symbol itself indicated that they were the female's personal guard. Each male had a scimitar tied at their belt. Odin didn't fear the weapons as they were merely for decorations, and there were only two armed.

The female wore a tight red dress with gold lines running up the middle and accenting of her breasts. She was a lovely woman with long black hair that hung down her back. There were only two gold clips in the shape of leaves that pulled the sides of her hair back into a pony tail. She was dressed like royalty and Odin knew she was.

Although their appearance was human, the three were part of an ancient race called the Djinn. As he had done with Laufey, Odin had defeated the Djinn in a great battle thousands of years ago. But, unlike the battle against the Frost Giants, Odin had help with this battle. A small group of Djinn did not want to destroy mankind and had joined up with Odin. The battle itself had been a bloodbath, with the near complete annihilation of the Djinn. But, in the end, they had won and the remaining Djinn, with Odin's help, settled on another planet.

The woman curtsied to Odin while her guards bowed.

Odin walked down the steps from his throne. "What brings you to Asgard Samara, fourth daughter of Nasir?" he asked courteously.

For a brief moment, her body tensed in surprise. Odin knew that she didn't realize that he would recognize her. After all, she had been a child when he last saw her.

"Your majesty," Samara said as she forced a smile to cross her face. "My father feared for your safety when the Bifröst to your world was destroyed. It took my father some time to gather the power that he needed to send me here. I came to offer my assistance if you are in need of any."

"I thank your father," Odin said. "But there is no need. Even as we speak we are reconstructing the Bifröst."

Samara bit her lip as she looked away. Odin studied her for a second. He couldn't help but feel something was off. He heard Frigga softly clear her throat.

"I know that your journey here was exhausting," Odin stated. "Rest here for the night and tomorrow I will help you return to…"

"She's not real!" A little girl's scream echoed through the hall. Odin looked as a girl, looking no older than thirteen, ran toward them. Her long black hair was loose and a mess. Her eyes were large with fear. "It's not her! She's an illusion!"

Odin swung at the princess, surprising everyone, including her guards. She let out a smile as she chuckled. Her form disappeared. She was an illusion.

* * *

Loki frowned as he stood up from his cell and walked closer to the opening to see who was coming. Two Asgardian soldiers guarded his cell, although there really was no need. The room was effectively designed to keep him in. Not that it mattered now. With the Chitauri after him he was in no hurry to go anywhere.

Loki frowned when he spotted his adopted father at the top of the stairs.

"Leave us!" Odin commanded the two soldiers as he walked down the stairs.

The two soldiers faltered for only a second before they walked up the stairs and out of the room.

"You stupid child," Odin snapped at Loki.

Loki opened his mouth with a snide comment ready, but then stopped. "You're not my father," he stated, as he looked at the man curiously.

Odin's glare turned into a smile and his body loss its mass, revealing a female body.

"Samara!" Loki said in surprise and relief when he recognized her. Loki had been taught magic by her uncle at the same time she and a few of her other siblings were. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he looked around. "You need to leave. If my… Odin finds you're here…"

"You're a fool, Loki!" she snarled, her smile suddenly gone. He blinked in surprise at her sudden change of mood. "Why did you go to the Chitauri? Why not come to me first?"

"What would you have done?" He snapped back. "We are only two. I needed an army to take over Midgard. The Chitauri were that army."

"And yet you failed!" she cried. "And now you're here."

"What are you doing here?" Loki asked again with more anger in his voice.

She opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the door opening.

"Step away from there!" Odin commanded, by his side were the two Asgardian soldiers as well as Samara's. It was clear that her two guards were going to take her into custody. They were on Odin's side, not hers.

Loki and Samara looked at Odin. Loki was slightly afraid, unsure of what Odin would do to her. He wouldn't kill her that Loki knew. Samara smiled, and then turned her attention back to Loki. She leaned in close and her brown eyes turned cerulean and glowed brightly. "It is time for us to retake Midgard," she whispered.

Suddenly, she screamed two words and reached her hand out toward Odin. Her soldiers by his side screamed in pain as their bodies flew into the air. Blue smoke came out of their bodies and entered Samara's hand, as they fell to the ground dead.

Samara motioned toward Loki's cage and the door flew open. She grabbed Loki's hand as the Asgard soldiers ran at them, pulling him to her. Suddenly, they were gone.

Samara held tightly onto Loki as he felt the vortex, of whatever wormhole she had created, try to tear them apart. He knew that if he let go there was no telling where he would end up. Finally, when his head felt that it was about ready to pop everything calmed.

"What did you do?" Loki snapped as he pulled away from her.

Samara sneered before she looked around. "You're welcome," she stated. The magic coursed through her veins, highlighting them into a silver color.

Loki opened his mouth to snap at her again, but she walked away. He quickly fell into step with her. "What is your plan?" he asked her gruffly.

"Step four, get Loki out from Asgard," she said with a hint of satisfaction, not looking back at him.

"Step one?" Loki asked.

Samara flicked her hand in the air and two double doors in front of them flew open. The two stepped out into the balcony and he stared in surprise at the mass of people in the courtyard. There were at least fifty thousand, all fighting one another and perfecting their skills. He could see bronze magic as some of them made illusions.

"And how do you expect to get your army to Midgard without the Bifröst? How do you expect to win when the Chitauri failed?" Loki almost scoffed. It was rather impressive her little army, but he had a Chitauri army with him and the Tesseract. He still couldn't grasp his mind around the fact that they were defeated.

"We are going to get the Archon's Heart," she said as her brown eyes glowed.

Loki looked at her in surprise, and then a smiled crept across his face. Yes, if they got the Archon's Heart then nothing would be able to stop them from taking over Midgard.

* * *

"The Archon's Heart was destroyed," Thor stated as he shook his head in disbelief.

The girl who had warned that Samara was just an illusion shook her head. "She doesn't believe it was. Her plan is to find the Archon's Heart and use it to bring the entire Djinn army to Midgard."

Odin didn't say a word as he appeared lost in thought. The girl's name was Aaliyah and she was Nasir's youngest daughter, Samara's youngest sister. She was pale and her body shook from its ordeal. Frigga had placed a blanket around the girl and gently hugged her. Aaliyah had done what was almost the impossible. She had gathered a lot of power to transport herself to Asgard to warn them of her sister's actions.

Odin knew how tiring such a feat was, having recently sent Thor to Midgard. But the child had refused to relax or rest until she told them everything that she knew. She didn't know much, but what she did know as disturbing to him.

"Where is it located?" Thor asked the girl.

She shrugged. "It was last used in Midgard. My sister is sure that it is still there."

Thor shook his head as he though. "But why risk coming here and taking Loki?" he asked. "Why come for Loki at all? She had enough strength to reach Midgard. Why not go straight there to get it?"

"Midgard is protected from the Djinn. She cannot enter without assistance," Odin said.

Thor had not known that.

The girl blinked in surprise. It was clear that she had not known that either.

"What of your father and siblings?" Odin asked her.

Aaliyah bit her lip. "I saw her trap our brother into a ring. I knew she would do the same for me. I'm sure she has done the same to father and my other brothers and sisters. It's why they disappeared." Aaliyah stifled a sob.

"You were very brave," Frigga said in a soft voice.

"Father," Thor said, addressing his father.

Odin raised his hand, stopping his son from saying another word. "The Archon's Heart is still in Midgard, but it is hidden. Still, she must not possess it. I will gather my strength to send you to Midgard. You must seize it before she does and bring it here to Asgard. We can properly protect it here."

Thor nodded his head.

"I will go as well!" Aaliyah said as she stood up.

Thor looked at her in surprise while Odin's face was unreadable.

"It will be better if you remain here, little one," Thor said in a calm voice.

She crossed her arms as she planted her feet. "The Archon's Heart is a Djinn artifact. I have to go!" The energy in the room turned hostile as Aaliyah's hair started to rise from the static electricity. Her body shook and then she fell back. She had no energy to spend on Thor. "I am weak now," she wheezed. "But give me a few days and I'll be strong again. I may be youngest, but I can fight. And you have to take me with you!" She pulled out a necklace and showed it to them. The chain was made of silver and only held a single oval amethyst gem roughly two inches long.

Odin reached out for it, but she quickly pulled back.

"This finds the pieces leading to it. I overheard father say that. I cannot allow my sister to destroy what our father has worked so hard to preserve. I am going."

"Very well, young one," Odin said.

"Father!" Thor couldn't hope but object. He didn't like the idea of having to protect this child. "It took a lot of energy for you to send me to Midgard the last time. Adding another…"

"She will be strong enough to help channel some of her energy to make the trip easier. The Heart was hidden in Midgard, and seven pieces were scattered through the land, save the necklace. You need only three pieces to find the Heart. It will be easier to find them with the necklace." Odin looked at the young girl who let out a sigh of relief.

Thor looked at the child and sighed with resignation. He still didn't like the idea of babysitting.

"When will we go?" Aaliyah asked as she suppressed a yawn.

"You will rest for now, young one," Odin said firmly. "I must gather my strength. Do not fear that your sister will get to the Archon's Heart before you. The journey to Midgard requires more power from where she is. She will not risk going for at least two days."

Aaliyah let out a yawn and Frigga helped her to stand. "Let's get you to rest."

The girl nodded her head in agreement then looked at Thor with pleading eyes. "Please don't leave without me," she said.

"I will not," Thor promised, making her smile.

Odin waited for the two to leave the room before he addressed his father. "When you find it you must destroy it."

Thor looked at his father in surprise. "Why?" The word came out of his mouth before he could stop it.

Odin walked over to the balcony and looked out into the city. "Whoever possesses the Archon's Heart will possess unimaginable power. She will not only be able to break the seal keeping her people from entering Midgard. But she as well as her army will become invincible. Nothing, not even Mjolnir will be able to harm any of them. You must not allow any of the Djinn to possess it," Odin's voice was firm. "Not even Princess Aaliyah."

Thor frowned. "Why did you not destroy it when you had the chance?"

Odin closed his one good eye and shook his head as the memory of the past came unbidden. "It does not matter now," he finally said. "Obey me on this. Destroy it." He let out a sigh and looked at his son for a brief moment before he walked away.

Thor watched his father go, but didn't try to follow after him. He was surprised by his father's expression. It was rare for him to see regret and at the same time sadness. Thor let out a sigh. It did not help him to think of it. He knew his father wouldn't elaborate.

Thor looked out at the city before him. It was very different from those on Midgard. His thoughts of Midgard turned to Jane Foster. Last time he had gone he had been unable to speak to her. This time, he would find time, or stay just a little bit longer. He missed her and he knew that she missed him. He wished he could bring her back to Asgard and show her his home. But that was impossible for now.

Feelings of giddiness entered his body, causing him to shiver. He couldn't wait to get back to Midgard.


	2. Bad Night

**A/N: Thanks to my beta Jen Lennon for helping me make this chapter better. Thanks to you guys who have reviewed/favorite/alerted my story. Glad to see people are enjoying my story.**

* * *

_The sound of a violin playing echoed through Aleksandra's mind. She looked to her left then right, but didn't see the instrument. Her mind stopped focusing on the music as she saw a little girl. She recognized her. Her friend giggled as she disappeared into the jungle._

_"Wait, Lupe!" Alek screamed. Her voice was that of a child instead of a woman. She was seven again, but she didn't notice. Instead, she forced her legs to move as she ran after her friend. The dream was lenient as it let her reach her goal with relative ease. _

_Lupe's giggle echoed around her, but Alek quickly spotted her friend in front of her. Behind Lupe was a river and a submarine slowly passed by. Alek's parents stood on top of the submarine, looking ahead of them. Alek ignored her parents. She wanted to play with her friend._

_Alek saw something glitter on the ground and ran toward it. The harder she ran, the further it got. Suddenly, Lupe was standing over it. She bent down and picked it up. Alek grew angry. She had seen it first. "That's mine!" Alek shrieked as she attacked her friend. She pulled the ring off of Lupe's finger, causing the little girl to scream in pain as her skin went with it._

_The ring flew out of Alek's hand and into the air, just as lightning hit it. Suddenly, a large man appeared between the two girls, facing Lupe. He slowly turned and crossed his arms as he looked at Alek. _

_"You have been a naughty girl," he said as he shook his head. His teeth looked like piranha teeth and the veins in his arms popped out. Blue tattoos covered his arms and face. Her dream told her he was a genie._

_Alek tried to scream when she saw a salamander crawl down the man's arm. She tried to move away, but every step she took seemed to force her closer to the unmoving man. He grinned as he reached his hand out. The salamander grabbed onto her cheek, causing her to cry out in disgust as it crawled down and onto her left arm. _

_Alek tried to brush it off, but she was afraid. She held her arm out in front of her, trying to keep the creature away from her face. She could still feel the slim that it had left on her face. Her left arm grew heavy and started to go numb. She hated the feel of the slim on her skin. _

_The large man threw his head back as he gave a hearty laugh. Alek spotted her parents. _

_"Mom!" She shouted. The woman next to her mother turned and looked at her. It wasn't her mom. Instead of having long brown hair, standing at five feet three inches, this woman had long curly blonde hair, and was nearly six feet tall. Her body was far fitter than her mother ever had been. The woman looked like an Amazon warrior._

_Still, her dream insisted that she was her mother. "Help!" Alek cried out. Both parents looked away, ignoring her. Alek looked at the salamander and it stuck out its tongue before it started heading toward her face again. She cringed in fear as she leaned back, but that didn't stop the creature._

_"Oh no!" she cried out, the tail fell and started to wiggle like crazy on her arm. The music invaded her mind as loud strings and brass instruments hit an all-time frenzy._

Alek let out a gasp as she forced her eyes opened. She was lying on her stomach in bed. It was a dream, yet the music persisted. With her right hand she grabbed her earbuds and pulled them out of her ears. She had fallen asleep listening to her MP3 player again. Normally, she was able to turn it off before she fell asleep, or she'd tossed and turned enough to dislodge the earbuds. She must have been too exhausted the night before.

Something was off, causing Alek to frown. Her left arm felt useless under her. She groaned. It was asleep. She hated that. With her right hand she slapped and tapped her arm, trying to wake it up. The skin was cold and slightly slimy. She felt the left side of her face and realized that it was slightly slimy as well. She had been drooling.

"Love it when your dream incorporates what you do," she muttered sarcastically to herself.

Sharp tingling ran down her left arm, causing her to tighten the muscles throughout her body. In the back of her still tired mind she assumed that the pain lessened. Alek forced herself to take in deep breathes till she could move in arm in peace.

She ran her hands through her hair as she moaned, trying to force herself awake. There were no windows in her room, so it was impossible to tell what time it was. Not that it mattered. Her alarm had not gone off which meant that she could still sleep. She looked at her clock. It was five in the morning, which meant she only had four hours of sleep.

Next to her alarm clock was a picture of her and her parents. Alek was seven when the picture was taken. It was strange seeing the proportions of her family. Her father towered over the family standing at six feet. His white skin contrasted the rest. Her mother stood to the right, holding baby Jaime, Alek's youngest brother, in her arms and Alek stood in front of them.

Her father had met her mother while he was an exchange student in Peru. He always described it as love at first site. Initially, she hadn't been interested in him, due to his height and awkwardness. But he had been able to win her over. Alek was similar to her mother in many ways, except she was only two inches taller and had her father's green eyes.

She yawned as she stood up and stretched. She was tired, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. The thought of seeing another salamander in her dreams made her skin crawl. Those things disgusted her: slimy, possibly poisonous, with tails that moved even after they were detached from the body.

"Gross," Alek said as she shivered. She walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet, splashing water onto her face. She looked at the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. She knew she should go back to sleep. Her short brown hair stood at all angles from the grease it had produced. She wet it and smoothed it back, before tying it up into a pony tail.

Alek walked out of the bathroom and reached under her bed, pulling out a pair of old jogging pants. She slipped into them and put on a bra underneath her nightshirt. She grabbed her iPod from the bed and put in her earbuds as she headed out. She didn't look where she was going as she looked down at her iPod. She selected the playlist that simply said "1" and pressed play. She placed the iPod into her pocket and let her head and body wave a little to the beat of the song.

There was no one about, but that was to be expected. It was five in the morning. She knew that there were others awake making sure the ship was running smoothly. She was on the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier. It was on the ocean and not in the air for now. The majority of the crew didn't wake up for at least another hour. Most of the scientists got to sleep in another hour, depending on which department they were in.

Alek opened the door to one of the many training rooms and looked around. There was no one about, much to her enjoyment. She was no soldier and only knew the basics for defending herself. She hated when people watched her, always assuming that they were criticizing her.

Alek placed herself in front of one of the training dummies, before she started bouncing. She planted her feet and started to punch it. She tried to move her body to the tune that she was hearing, but knew she was off.

"Jumping thumping, shout out something," Alek screeched as she swung around and punched the air. Her eyes grew wide with surprise as Agent Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, easily dodged her attack. "Oh my god!" Alek said a little too loudly as she pulled the earbuds out of her ears. "Did I hurt you?" It was a stupid question. She hadn't even touched him.

Clint was one of the best of the best: there were few who rivaled his skill. If Alek was similar to Agent Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, then maybe she would have been able to hurt him. But as herself, not a chance.

"I'm sorry," Alek continued, since Clint didn't say a word. "I didn't realize you were there." She knew her face was red from embarrassment.

"You would have more force behind your punches if you plant your feet like this," he told her as he positioned himself next to her.

She looked him up and down before she mimicked his stance. She felt awkward, having never really tried to perfect her fighting skills. After all, that's what the agents and soldiers were there for. Clint moved her foot with his before he nodded his approval.

"Try it now," he said.

She punched the dummy, but as she did her body fell back into the old position. He let out a sigh, before he reached out to fix her position again. She jumped back and rubbed her hands.

"Thanks," she quickly said. "I'll umm, work on my stance later, but I should really get going." She didn't wait for him to say anything as she quickly walked out of the room. Alek didn't slow down until she got into her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and moaned in frustration.

"Alek, you're such a dumbass," she whispered to herself. Her heart raced inside her chest. She had had a long standing crush on Agent Barton, since the moment she first saw him a year ago. Every time she felt as if she had managed her emotions she would spot him again. It was beyond frustrating. And now, she was sure that he felt that she hated him. Or maybe, he didn't care. Either way, she was rude to him.

_You can still go back,_ Alek thought. She shook her head. He probably wasn't there anymore and what would she say to him? "I wasn't trying to be rude. You're just really hot and I like you. So having you talk to me made my day and freaked me out," she muttered to herself. She closed her eyes as she scratched her forehead, letting out a sigh. Yeah, as if she could every say that.

Alek grounded her teeth as she started to get ready for her day. There was nothing more she could do.

* * *

Clint wasn't sure if he was annoyed, frustrated, or angry. Maybe it was all three. Ever since he had been under Loki's control the people around him were wary of him. As if in any second Loki would take control over him again. Natasha had, in the best way she could, told him not to worry. Honestly, it was his teammates' trust that he needed and no one else's.

Still, Clint was getting tired. He was getting tired of people dodging him, freaking out, and being evasive. Before it was his choice to be more of a loner, and now it wasn't. It didn't help that the night had been one of those terrible nights. He relieved his servitude to Loki in his dream. Once again he had no control over what he was doing, but this time he succeeded in killing everyone. Clint remembered Loki's sneering face and clenched his fists in anger.

Clint had found himself wandering the helicarrier, unsure of what to do. Normally, he would grab his bow and go to the practice room to keep his archery skill at its best. And that's what he was going to do when he heard someone singing, rather terribly.

It was clear that she didn't even know she was singing out loud as she jumped around and hit the dummy. From her hair to her clothes told him that she had had a bad night as well. She, like him, was trying to exorcise any demon from her bad night. He found himself standing directly behind her.

Her body turned before she did, warning him that she was going to attack him. Her eyes grew wide with surprise and horror that she had attacked him. Clint made sure not to chuckle. She hadn't even touched him.

Clint flinched and shook his head at what he had said. Instead of greeting her or trying to laugh at her unintentional attack he decided to critique her. She had listened to him, as she followed what he had said. But then she slipped back into her old position. He had tried to fix her position, but then she dodged him. Before he knew it, he was alone in the training room. Alone, and not by choice.

Clint clenched his fists. He had had enough. He had worked hard to make amends for what he had done. He would have quit had it not been for Director Fury and Natasha. If he saw the woman again he would demand that she not treat him like a disease. Yes, next time.

* * *

Alek spent the entire morning rethinking her short interaction with Agent Barton. She did her best to focus on other things, but it didn't matter. No one in her department seemed to notice her spaced out mood. But then again, it wasn't a new mood for her. With the knowledge that such mythological beings as Asgardians existed S.H.I.E.L.D had a small group of scientists dedicated to tracing back knowledge of old artifacts. It was tedious, and so far led to nothing spectacular. Over the past two weeks, there were rumors that Alek's division was going to be shut down.

Alek had been upset by the rumors. It was strange to think that this was a dream job for her. But she enjoyed her job, even if it was tedious. Her basic job was compiling a list of potential objects that may have more power than what they appeared to have. If she were lucky then she would be able to examine the objects. But they had yet to find anything. Alek had always known that it was a matter of time before their usefulness would start to be questioned.

"You look like shit," Lisa, one of Alek's coworkers, said way too cheerfully. Her long blonde hair was tied up into a perfect ponytail, and her clothes were immaculate. She was the department gossip, and really didn't care that others knew. She gasped as her blue eyes grew large. "Oh my god! What did you do?"

Alek glared at her. "It's nothing," she said, as she tried to focus on her work. She didn't want to give Lisa anymore gossip than what she already had. Alek had learned very quickly to not trust Lisa.

"I'm not leaving till you tell me," Lisa insisted as she crossed her arms and planted her feet.

"Don't you have work to do?" Alek asked, trying to get Lisa to focus on something else.

Lisa grabbed a chair and sat down next to Alek. "You broke something," she started to guess. "No? You're getting fired? You made a fool of yourself in front of Director Fury."

"Will you go away?" Alek snapped, clearly irritated.

"Not until you tell me what you did," Lisa stated, an evil glint was in her eyes.

"I met someone, acted a fool and that's it," Alek said as quickly as possible.

"Agent Barton," Lisa guessed correctly.

Alek turned away, but her body language gave her away. She had made the mistake of telling Lisa about her crush a year ago. She hated that the woman remembered everything.

Lisa clicked her tongue as she shook her head.

Alek moaned in response as she slammed her head against her desk. "He probably thinks I hate him, but I have so much respect after what's happened to him."

Lisa snorted. "Don't know what you see in him. He allowed his mind to be controlled by an alien, and killed quite a few people for that alien."

Alek's eyes narrowed in anger and she looked up at Lisa. "You don't know what it's like to have no control over what you do. Now go away."

Lisa kept her fake smile on her face as she stood up. "And you do?"

Alek didn't answer as she placed her right hand near her mouth. There was a thin circle scar at the base of her ring finger. She gently rubbed it with her left hand as she stared at the computer screen. She wasn't going to get any work done today.


	3. Samara's Plan

**A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews/favs/alerts. Glad people like my story. I'm having loads of fun writing it. Thanks to my beta Jen Lennon for helping me out. I really hope I'm capturing everyone's character. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

Loki paced back and forth in his room. It had been three days since Samara had rescued him from Asgard. Coincidentally, it had also been three days since he had seen the Djinn princess. Shortly after she had rescued him she disappeared as did most of the other Djinn. More than once he questioned her motives. There was too much time for him to think. Maybe she was working for the Chitauri. Maybe they were coming for him now.

He turned and stormed out of his room. It was time. Three days was too long. If she wanted to take over Midgard then they needed to act now. Thor was most assuredly there waiting for them. Much to Loki's disdain, the people of Midgard were far more formidable than he had anticipated. If Thor and his ragtag group got back together then it would be very difficult for the Djinn to gain an upper hand. If the Chitauri, with all their technology, couldn't defeat the Avengers, then what hope did Samara have?

The Archon's Heart. She had told him that they were going to get it, and he had grown excited over the idea. He knew little about it, only discovering its existence by accident. But from what he understood it had been the deciding factor in who won the battle between the Djinn and the Asgardians. One of its abilities was that it could shield all of its allies. Having such a power would be useful, even if it was just a shield.

He felt uneasy as he strode down the empty halls of the palace. He had never seen the palace so desolate. It was as if the Djinn were expecting the palace to be destroyed. He spotted the double set of doors and flicked his hand, causing them to blow open.

"I have had enough," he stated as he stepped inside. He let out a yelp in surprise as an invisible force threw him back.

"Did your father not teach you manners?" Samara asked as she walked toward him. A towel wrapped tightly around her. He had interrupted her bath.

He stood up and dusted his pants. "My father taught me nothing," he said. He opened his mouth to argue with her, but she was the first to speak.

"Forgive me, Loki," she said softly. "I did not have time to tell you. Follow me."

Loki hesitated, but then followed her.

"If my guards had not come when they did then I would not have been able to rescue you. I used their lives to break you from your cell and to transport us here. Unfortunately, the enchantment on your cell was far stronger than I had anticipated. You did not see me these last few days because I was sleeping."

She didn't pause as she stepped into her room and behind a screen. He looked around her room as he listened. "And why did you not regain some power from your people again?" he asked her. He knew it was possible.

"And be known as the impatient Djinn leader who would take the lives of her people instead of waiting?" she asked him. "My reign would be short lived."

"And by now the All Father has sent his beloved son to Midgard," Loki couldn't help but sound bitter.

She laughed, making him frown. "The All Father has not sent your brother yet," she responded.

"He has the Tesseract. Of course he sent Thor to Midgard." He tried to keep his voice even. Was she really that stupid? Did she really not know that Odin had the Tesseract now?

"And he won't use it for fear that my sister will gain control of it," she said as she stepped out of the screen. She wore a silver dress with purple lining. "He will have to send them the old fashion way."

Loki blinked once in surprise. He had forgotten that she was pretty.

"I know that it's not in your nature, Loki," she said as she walked over to him. "But I need you to trust me."

He let out a soft chuckle. "Me? Trust?" he asked as he shook his head.

She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. "I will show you now."

Their journey was short as she led him out of her room, down the hall, and into another room. Three Djinn stood around a large rectangle table that was in the middle of the room. They quickly stood at attention when they spotted the two. Only one of the three had visible tattoos on him. The intricate designs were solo colored in dark blue, which popped out through his tan skin. They ran up his arms and ended on his cheeks. He folded his arms over his chest and stared at Loki.

Loki forced his eyes to wander the room. Old scrolls were on the table and in the shelves that were against the walls. There was only one set of shelves that did not have scrolls on it. Instead, it held seven jars and each had a ring inside it.

"What has happened?" she asked her men.

"Odin has nearly reached the strength that he needs to send Thor and Princess Aaliyah to Midgard," one of her men told her.

"Then we must act now," Loki said as he looked down at the table. He cocked his head curiously. There was a scroll on the table, but instead of words or painted pictures he could see moving images. Thor paced back and forth, clearly in thought. For a second, Loki felt a twinge of pain as he spotted Frigga. She had always been kind to him. By her side was Princess Aaliyah. Thor stopped pacing and smiled at the two.

Samara grabbed the scroll and quickly rolled it up. The three men gave each other a quick glance, causing Loki to shift uncomfortably. She looked at him. "You don't know do you?" she asked. She shouldn't have been surprised as Odin like his secrets.

"Out with it!" he snapped. He was tired of being left in the dark and only knowing half-truths.

"The Djinn can't physically step foot on Midgard without Asgardian help," she said. "My father, with Odin's help, placed a seal. If we step on the ground then we are painfully brought back here. It can kill us. Hagar could tell you of the pain." Her eyes quickly glanced at the single Djinn who had tattoos covering his body. He reminded Loki of a smaller version of the Hulk, except he was bald and not green. The dark blue tattoos appeared to be writing instead of symbols. He nodded his head.

Loki looked at the princess as if she were crazy. She had said that they were going to take Midgard. "How can you take Midgard while your army is here?" he said, letting himself voice the thought. "I am no Asgardian. I cannot help you enter. I knew not of this seal. You should have left me in Asgard." He couldn't help but sound bitter. Why did he allow himself to briefly hope something would go his way?

He felt Samara studying him and looked at her. "I need you," she said as her warm hand reached out and touched his cheek. She pulled away and smiled as she took out a small bag and dumped its contents on the table. Seven rings different rings landed with a clatter. "These are my seven best warriors."

Loki reached out and picked one of the rings up.

"Our loophole," she said with a large smile.

"The humans are easy to possess," Hagar said with a hint of disgust.

"So why am I needed? Why not send the rings to Midgard yourself?" Loki asked. She was hiding something. He could feel it.

"Because we cannot control who will place the rings on their fingers," Hagar said.

"Speaking from experience?" Loki smirked.

Hagar glared at him.

"I am sure you have made some enemies that you would enjoy giving one of these too," Samara said, moving the subject along.

Loki picked up a thin silver ring with a red gem on it. "Oh, I can think of a few," he smiled then frowned. "You plan on taking Midgard with only seven? Why not more?"

"The humans are weak creatures. It is easy for us to exceed their limits and kill them by using their life essence," Hagar answered. "And what is the point of conquering Midgard when we cannot enjoy it in our true bodies?"

Samara nodded her head. "You can use the seven to help you find the Archon's Heart. With it we should be able to break the seal. And if not, it is said that it can shield all of its allies. With such a power protecting us, the humans will have no chance. And they will have to deal with the full fury of the Djinn." The iris of her eyes turned from brown to silver.

Loki slowly set down the ring. "What do I get in return for helping you take Midgard?"

"What do you wish for, Loki?" she asked. "Power, glory, a kingdom? Anything you wish for you will have."

He looked her straight in the eyes. "I want to rule the people of Midgard," he told her.

A small smile crept across her face. "Then you will have it."

"Now, how shall I find this Archon's Heart?" Loki asked, slightly turning the subject.

She threw down another scroll. Four pictures were on it: a necklace, a bracer, a shield, and a scepter. She placed her hand over the images and drew it up. They appeared in the air before them in complete detail as if they were physically there. "My father tried to destroy all knowledge of the Archon's Heart."

Her voice faded to the back of Loki's mind as he carefully examined the four objects. The necklace was simple with silver chain and an amethyst stone. The shield was circular with gold trimming the edges. The front was decorated with various symbols indicating that it had once belonged to a Djinn. In the middle was an amethyst stone. The scepter was slightly different. It was human by design with a red diamond at the top. The intricate designed made him assume that it had once belonged to a king. But of the four that wasn't what fascinated Loki the most. It was the bracer. There was no doubt in his mind that it was Asgardian. A light purple gem was near the top of it, which he found strange. It was not normal for the Asgardians to put gems on their armor.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Samara's voice cut in through his thoughts.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he shook his head. Nothing of Asgard was beautiful to him anymore.

"You don't find the Heart pretty?" she asked him.

He blinked in surprise. "What?" He had forgotten that he had tuned her out.

Samara waved both hands and three of the four objects disappeared, leaving only the scepter. "The Archon's Heart," she pointed to the gem at the top.

"You found it," he said, trying to mask his surprise. Then a frowned crossed his face. If they found it why were they looking for it?

Hagar shifted uneasily as Samara gave him a quick glance. "Twenty years ago," she said. "Hagar almost had it in his hands. But a tiny woman thwarted his attempt." Her voice was oozing with malice.

"A human woman stopped you?" Loki couldn't help but sound condensing. He ignored the fact that a ragtag group of "humans" beat him. But they had Thor's help. He would have beaten them had it not been for Thor.

Hagar placed his knuckles on the table and flexed his arm muscles. "She had help. The objects are not merely for decoration or to help one find the Heart," he stated, clearly trying to keep the anger out of his voice. "Each has a unique power and that," he flicked his hand in the air till the image of the bracer appeared, "does not like the Djinn."

Samara waved her hand in the air, dismissing his statement. "So you say," she muttered.

His chest heaved as his fingers curled in anger. He looked as if he were about to punch the princess. She didn't look at him as she pulled up all four images.

"The four pieces have been scattered," she said, still ignoring the angry Hagar. "We only need three of the seven. And as we know the appearance of four this should not be that hard of a task for you."

"But you know what the Heart looks like. Why not look for that instead?" Loki asked.

Samara shook her head.

"Midgard herself swallowed it up," Hagar said for her. He shook his head in defeat. "It will be faster to find the other pieces and use them to find the Heart. Plus, each piece makes the Heart stronger. The more we possess the stronger it'll be."

"And I thought you didn't know much," Loki looked at Samara who stared at Hagar thoughtfully.

She didn't say anything as she grabbed the scroll and rolled it up. She placed the rings in the bag and handed both to Hagar. "I need your help, Loki," she said softly. "You help me find this and they will fear you. Not even the Chitauri will attempt to harm you. You will get your revenge and your kingdom and my people will regain their rightful home."

Loki did his best to keep his face passive as he thought. He hadn't asked for her help and he didn't expect it. But the two had a similar goal in mind. He liked the thought of revenge. And he already knew of the perfect victim to give one of the rings too. "Let us win a world," he finally responded with a cocky smile.

"Now that we have that settled should we not begin?" the smaller of the three male Djinns said. "Odin's power is getting stronger each day. We may have two, three days at the most before Thor enters Midgard."

Samara nodded her head. "Now you can go to Midgard," she told Loki as she motioned for him to exit the room. "Wait!" She ran over to the shelf holding the seven rings and took one out. She walked over to Loki, holding the ring which was small with a silver band and pink gem at the top. He doubted it would fit in his finger. She pulled out a silver chain and placed the ring on the chain before she put it around his neck. "Keep this on you at all times," she told him. "It will bring you luck."

Loki scoffed at that comment as he rolled his eyes.

"Allow no one else to possess this. It is different from the others. I'm sorry that it does not fit. But with this on your person, the Djinn will not question your orders," she sounded sincere. "Now, you are ready to go."

Loki couldn't help but feel excited. He couldn't wait to see the looks on the faces of the people who had thwarted his last attempt. He would give the rings to people that they cared about. He would make this fight not only personal, but far more difficult for them. They would rue the day they defeated him.


	4. They Meet Again

**A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews/favs/alerts. Thanks to my beta Jen Lennon for helping me out. I really hope I'm capturing everyone's character. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

Alek chewed on the eraser of her pencil as she stared at the drawing in front of her. She hadn't been able to concentrate on anything since her run in with Agent Barton the morning before. She hated how her mind dwelt on things that were in the past. She had already come up with her apology in case she ran into him again.

She let out a snort then sighed. Run into him again? That was highly unlikely. Their jobs were completely different and there was no reason for him to be anywhere near her. And she certainly wasn't going to go back to the training room for fear of running into him. Her heart beat quickened at the thought of him. She hated crushes. They never went well for her. Then again, she wasn't one to act on her crush. Whenever she tried, she came out looking stuck-up.

She jumped in surprise as the alarm on her watch started to beep. She had fifteen more minutes before her regular doctor check-up. She reached out and started to put all of her papers together. The mess hall was unusually empty, considering it was close to lunchtime. She liked the emptiness. The mess hall was one of the few places that had tables large enough for her to spread out her work.

Papers were obsolete in the helicarrier. Everything was run by computers. There was no need to write anything down. But she liked drawing the old fashion way. That's what was on her papers. Not work, but drawings of objects and scenes that came to her mind. It was difficult for her to explain it to those who asked her. None of her drawings were finished. Every day she thought of a new thing to add. She loved and hated that fact. She hated the feeling that every single one of them was incomplete in some shape or form. But she loved the feeling that she was completing them. She knew that eventually they would all be finished and when she would look at them she wouldn't feel like it needed touch up or something else.

"Alek," Lisa shouted. "You coming to poker night?"

Alek put the last of the loose leafs into her folder and shook her head. "I've got work to do," she said, not looking up at her coworker.

"Have it your way," Lisa replied. "Joey is coming tonight. Easy money. That kid can't hold a poker face."

"Bye, Lisa," Alek said as she picked up her folder and walked out.

Lisa didn't reply, but Alek didn't care. She was starting to get a headache. At least she was going to see the doctor in a few minutes.

She kept her head down as she walked through the halls, her eyes focusing on each step that she took. She had practically memorized all her routes and could undoubtedly walk them all blindfolded. She saw feet in front of her and her eyes grew wide with surprise as she tried to stop herself from walking forward. She couldn't and immediately bumped into the person.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed as she dropped her folder. She looked up and gasped in surprise. "But... you saw me!" she accused Agent Barton. He had purposefully stood in her way.

"Look," he started, but she interrupted him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was rude to you yesterday. You just surprised me. But, that doesn't excuse my behavior. So I'm sorry, Agent Barton. I'm Alek, by the way." She gasped for breath, unsure if she had actually breathed during her quick apology. She quickly held out her hand.

For a brief moment he looked surprised. Then he nodded his head and shook her hand.

She started to smile then she knelt and quickly picked up her drawing.

"Wouldn't it be easier to have these in the computer?" Clint asked as he helped her.

She snorted. "Don't even get me started on that," she said. "I find it far more relaxing to use pencil and paper."

He picked up a paper and looked at it curiously. "Writing a book?" he asked.

She took it out of his hands and shook her head. The drawing was rather dark. A little girl was standing in the middle and behind her was a large man. He appeared to be a genie with half of his body as dark smoke that came out of the ring that the little girl had on. Her major veins popped out with a blue color and went up to her eyes. It almost looked as if the genie possessed the girl. He had a sinister smile on his face, and his arms were folded.

"I draw what I see in my head," she said.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Don't think I want to see what you see," he said as he picked up more drawings. One caught his attention and he pulled it out. This one was different from the others. While the others seemed to be pictures or tell some sort of story this one was of him. It was a side profile. She caught his serious nature, but he could see that there was a small smile on his face. In front of him was the basic silhouette of whoever he was talking to.

He felt Alek tense and he looked up at her. "I hope you don't mind," she told him as she reached for the drawing. "As I said, I draw what comes to my head. If you want when I finish it I'll give it to you. It is of you so you have the right to keep it."

"We'll see," he said as he handed it back to her.

Alek smiled as she put it away. "Thanks for…" she started then frowned. She blinked a few times then dropped her folder as she pushed passed him.

"Hey!" Clint shouted as he caught most of the papers and ran after her. If she heard him she paid him no attention. She quickly entered her room and opened her dresser drawer, taking out what appeared to be a bracer. She pulled out some paint and a thin paintbrush. "Hey," he said again as he stepped into her room.

She clearly ignored him as she carefully painted what looked like words onto the side of the bracer. The bracer looked Asgardian by design. Alek mumbled something then stepped back, shaking her head. Whatever she was writing, it was clearly half finished. "Are you serious?" she said, shaking her head. "Stupid brain…" She stopped mid-sentence when she realized that Clint was in her room. "Thanks." She grabbed her papers from his hands and placed them on her bed.

"What is that?" he asked. She wasn't paying attention as she looked around her room. It was a mess. She hadn't cleaned it up that morning since she had slept in. Clothes were on the floor. She hurriedly kicked the clothes under her bed.

"Umm," she said, not really paying attention to his words. "That?" She looked around her and nodded in approval before she looked at him. "Oh. That."

Clint was amused by her sudden need to look tidy. She clearly called the room her own since she was so comfortable leaving it a mess.

"It's silly." She blushed, but was careful as she touched it.

He raised his eyebrows at her. She had no trouble letting him see her drawings, but she was suddenly bashful about the bracer?

She rubbed her chest, then let out a sigh. "Long story short, I saw it as kid."

He eyed her. There was a story behind it, and he was interested in it. He wasn't sure why. He wondered if the drawings had anything to do with it.

"Looks similar to one of Thor's bracers," he commented. "Except for this gem."

"Yeah," she said. "The gem isn't right though. But I can't help that." She placed her right hand on the bracer and he noticed a small circular scar around her ring finger. "I can't afford the one that should be in there." She smiled as she looked at him. "Much too expensive for my salary."

He chuckled.

"Oh sh-crap," she said. He suppressed his smile. It intrigued him that she didn't want to curse in front of him too. "I have to go."

He left her room and she quickly shut the door behind him.

"I'll see you around," she said as she ran down the hall to her doctor's appointment.

Alek didn't stop her run until she reached the doctor's office and sat down on a chair. Her heart felt as if it were beating a thousand miles per hour. She had talked to him and didn't make a complete fool of herself. She would have to clean her room more often, not that he would enter her room again.

"Are you alright, Alek?" Dr. Crovin asked her, bringing her back to reality.

"I'm fine. Why?" she asked.

"Does your chest hurt?" he asked with a frown on his face.

She frowned then looked down at her chest. Her right hand was rubbing it vigorously. "Oh," she said as she pulled her hand away. "No, I… butterflies." She smiled, trying to reassure him that she was alright, but it didn't convince him. She was so easy to read.

"Come Alek," he said, motioning for her to follow him. She obeyed him and started walking with him when a newspaper caught her attention. "Alek?"

She picked up the paper and her eyes grew wide. "Dr. Corvin! This is… oh my god." She didn't say another word as she ran out of the office.

"Alek!" he called after her, but she was already gone.

"Do you know where Director Fury is?" Alek asked the first person she saw. The woman shook her head.

"Try the bridge."

"Thanks," Alek said as she ran toward the bridge. She hoped he was there. The ship was huge and she didn't want to run through the entire thing just to find him. She was lucky that she was near the bridge. It wasn't difficult for her to spot Director Nick Fury. He stood by a table with Captain Steve Rogers to his left. The two were discussing something that was in front of them.

"Director Fury," Alek said as she rushed over.

Nick straightened his back and placed both arms behind him. "How can I help you, Dr. Novak?"

She blinked in surprise by the fact that he knew her name. "We need this," she stated as she placed the newspaper down and pointed to Tony Stark. The article was about his contribution to a new wing at the local museum. There was a party being hosted that night in his honor.

"Mr. Stark is a part of our team," Fury said.

"What?" she asked. "Oh no, behind him. That," she said, moving her finger so that it pointed to an object behind Stark.

"That looks like the bracer you're working on," Clint said, moving forward so that Alek could see him.

She gave him a quick look before nodding. She hadn't expected him to be there.

"You know what this is?" Fury asked.

"Yes, no, sort of," she stammered. "I mean, I saw it when I was a kid."

Fury crossed his arms in front of him as he looked at her, waiting for her to finish.

"You know that my dad was an archeologist. When I was a kid we went to Peru. I found that in a cave." She was leaving a lot out, but she had no doubt that Fury knew the story.

"Do you know what it does?" he asked.

She hesitated ever so slightly before she shook her head. "It has some sort of energy. It was the reason why we survived. At least," she paused for a moment. "I think it was. There were four pieces. That was one of them. Each has its own energy. The cave collapsed on us before we found out what they did."

He looked at her and studied her face.

"It could be what he is after," Steve stated. "He was seen near the area."

"Or maybe he's come back for revenge," Fury replied back, looking at Steve.

"Who, sir?" Alek couldn't help but ask. She looked down at the table and noticed that on the screen was a picture of Loki.

"The bracer looks like it Asgardian by design," Clint said to Fury. "He could be after it."

Fury nodded. "Whatever he is here for it's not good. Captain Rogers, you'll take a team down to where he was last spotted and see what he was doing there. Agent Barton, you will come with me to see Mr. Stark."

"I have to go too," Alek said firmly. The three men looked at her curiously. She blushed at the attention, but didn't back down. "I was the only one who saw it. Agent Barton knows how easy it is to duplicate. I am confident that I'll know if it's the real thing or not."

Fury rubbed his chin with one hand before he nodded. "Very well, Dr. Novak. You will come with us."

"Thank you," Alek said. Suddenly, she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She felt shy and giddy.

"Be at the docking bay in thirty, Dr. Novak," Fury said.

She nodded and quickly left. She knew she had been dismissed.

Fury watched her with interest as she left.

"Do you think it's some sort of weapon?" Steve asked as he looked at the article.

"Her father, Dr. Novak, believed that the bracer was responsible for protecting them from a cave in," Fury said as he tapped on the computer screen. He pulled out an old newspaper article and expanded it. "He joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and used our resources to try to find the four objects. Before S.H.I.E.L.D he was in Peru with a team of archeologists. They were attacked by the natives and most of them were killed, including his wife. We offered him protection in exchange for the items. He couldn't find the cave and after a few months we let him go."

"But you believed his story," Steve stated, attempting to confirm his belief. Fury had a knack for understanding people, and believing in the farfetched.

"Now we'll see if it's true," Fury said as he looked down at the article. A part of him hoped it was, and another part didn't. A camera had spotted Loki. The god of mischief had purposefully made himself known. There was no doubt, in Fury's mind, that Loki was back to harm people. Whether it was the Avengers or the world again, it didn't matter. But if Loki was after the bracer they needed to get to it first. The one good thing was that if Loki was back then that meant that Thor couldn't be that far behind him. The only thing that worried Fury was the fact that Loki had escaped, and Thor hadn't come immediately. He had the Tesseract; at least Fury hoped he still did. But he couldn't let that bother him too much. At this moment, that wasn't his concern.


	5. Failed Attempt

**A/N: Thanks so much for your favs/alerts. Thanks to my beta Jen Lennon for helping me out. I really hope I'm capturing everyone's character. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

Alek felt completely underdressed as she followed Agent Barton and Director Fury through the crowd and into the museum. Everyone was in their finest clothes, while she wore kahki pants and a green blouse. But it was the best she could do in such short notice.

Clint moved closer to Fury as a few security guards walked up to them.

"I don't remember you being on the guest list," Tony said as he strolled over. He briefly waved a hand and the guards left.

"We have some important matters to discuss, Mr. Stark," Fury said.

Alek immediately spotted the bracer and her eyes grew wide with awe. She was still far away, but she knew it was the one.

"And you couldn't have called?" Tony asked as he raised his eyebrows.

"Would you have answered?"

Tony smiled. Both knew the answer was no.

Clint gave Alek a quick glance as she smoothly peeled herself away from them. He watched her as she neared the bracer. The closer she got to it the more uneasy he felt. His instincts were telling him that something was wrong. Maybe it was the way she moved. Yes, it was the way she moved. She moved with unconscious grace.

He shook his head. He was being stupid. The bracer was completely covered by the best glass there was out there. This was Stark's museum. Whatever type of energy the bracer had it could do them no harm.

Alek's hands reached out to touch the glass that was surrounding the bracer. Clint opened his mouth to say something, but Tony beat him to it.

"Hey hey hey!" Tony snapped at her. "Don't touch that. You'll leave fingerprints." He shook his head as he turned his attention back to Fury. "Next time I expect everyone to be dress for the occasion if you chose to interrupt one of my parties again."

"We need that bracer," Fury stated.

Tony nodded his head. He had already deduced what they had come for. "I don't think you can afford it," he said, giving them his best cocky smile.

* * *

Alek's mind blocked out everyone's voice as she drew closer to the bracer, it hadn't changed. The replica that she had made was almost exactly the same. But the words that she had added earlier were not on this one. Still, she knew that this was the right bracer. She could feel the energy coming off it.

The gem in the middle was different than in her replica. It seemed to slowly shift into different shades of purple. A small little stream of purple smoke reached out of the gem. It was tiny and very thin. If she hadn't known to look for it she wouldn't have seen it. It slowly made its way toward the glass and she hunched her back so that her face was in front of it.

She was mesmerized by it. It was strange that it was real. But that meant that the events in her youth had happened. She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. The little stream of smoke slowly changed till it resembled a tiny hand. It seemed to touch the glass and flatten.

Alek hesitated as she pulled her hand up and went to touch the glass as well.

"Hey hey hey!" Tony's voice brought her back to reality. She turned and looked at him. "Don't touch that. You'll leave fingerprints." He shook his head as he turned his attention back to Fury.

Alek saw the worry in Clint's face and smiled, trying to reassure him. She was in no immediate danger. She turned her attention back to the bracer, but the smoke was gone.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the woman's voice startled her, causing her to jump in surprise. "Miss Potts," she said as she stood up. She wasn't sure if she should curtsy or shake the woman's hand. She was Stark's right hand woman. Alek had tremendous respect for the woman, mainly because the woman was able to tolerate Mr. Stark.

Pepper smiled, but it was fake.

"Do you know where he found it?" Alek asked.

Pepper raised her eyebrows. "Why do you care to know?"

Alek shifted with unease. Something wasn't right. She forced herself to adopt a nonchalant manner. "I'm just curious, is all," she said with a shrug.

Pepper continued to assess her.

"It is very beautiful," she said, forcing herself to look at the bracer. Her mind screamed at her to leave, to get Clint or to get someone's attention. There was something very wrong. Through the corner of her eye she looked Pepper. Then she saw it. On her right hand was a very familiar ring. Alek's heart pounded in her chest.

Pepper cocked her head, then her eyes grew wide. "You know," she accused, her voice a sharp hiss.

Alek's eyes widened as she shook her head, trying to deny the statement. Pepper immediately placed her hand on Alek's back, paralyzing her. She tried to move, to speak, to do something to cause attention, but her body refused her request. She gave Clint a quick glance, hoping he would see her distress. He was starting to look in her direction, but he was frozen as were everyone else. No, they weren't frozen. Time was just going by really slow.

Pain shot through her body. She felt as if her very essence was being pulled out of her body. No one could help her.

Pepper reached her right hand out and touched the display. She whispered something in a foreign language. Grey streams of light came out of her hand and wrapped around the display. She released Alek, allowing her to collapse onto the floor. There was a loud crack as the display seemed to be crushed by an invisible hand.

Pepper smiled triumphantly as she reached out and took the bracer.

"Pepper?" Tony asked, unable to disguise the fear that was in his voice. "Miss Potts. If you had wanted the bracer you only needed to ask. Are you really trying to steal from me while I'm right here?" He shook his head, forcing his voice to sound nonchalant. He was trying to make light of the situation, but was having trouble

Alek's hands shook as she placed them on the ground in front of her. With more effort than should have been necessary, she pushed herself so that she was sitting.

Pepper didn't pay attention to her. Instead, she placed her attention on the group of security guards who were surrounding her. There were nine men in total, including Agent Barton. They each held handguns up and pointed at her. There was uncertainty in each of their eyes. Whatever was going to happen, someone was going to have to tell them what to do.

Pepper looked away from the men as she examined the bracer. "How strange that such an ugly thing can bring about such power," she said to no one in particular. She looked at Tony and smiled. "This does not belong to you," she stated firmly.

"Ummm… yes it does. I paid for it. So therefore, it's mine," he replied, giving her half a smile.

She took a step forward and the men around her tensed. "You humans are so weak," she said. She laughed as she waved her right hand in the air. Her veins popped out of her right arm, a dark grey color tracing from the ring up to her eyes. "You think your puny weapons can harm _me_? It will harm this host's body, but I will remain unharmed."

Alek slowly pulled herself to her feet. She didn't feel the bit of glass that pierced her skin as she grabbed the broken display.

"Do you really wish to harm this body?" Pepper asked as she slowly traced her right side with her right hand. Her voice was changing to that of another female. She smiled an evil smile at Tony as she took another step forward. His men took a step back.

She smirked. "We will be going now," she said as she started to head toward the door. The security guards tensed as they watched her, unsure of what to do.

"I don't think so," Tony said, shaking his head. "You really shouldn't have used her."

Alek was glad that she was focusing on Tony. She only had one shot at grabbing the bracer. Pepper raised her left hand that held the bracer and Alek lunged at her. With her left hand she grabbed the bracer and with her right she pushed her body off of Pepper's. The woman hadn't anticipated Alek's attack and let the bracer slip from her hand.

Alek slammed onto the base of the display and crumpled to the ground. Her energy was all used up. She hadn't planned on what she was going to do with it when she had it. She just wanted to get it away from Pepper.

"That was very stupid of you!" she screamed as she raised her hand. She was infuriated.

Suddenly, Alek shot to her feet and rushed at her, slamming her knee into Pepper's stomach. She used her momentum to throw herself over Pepper's body and land behind her. "Don't move, -!" Alek commanded as she stood up and straightened her shoulders. There were two voices in her own. She was no longer Alek.

Director Fury frowned. She had said something after she had commanded Pepper not to move. He was sure that she had said a name, but her words sounded distorted in his ears. As if his ears had censored them for him.

Pepper stared at her wide-eyed and didn't move. In Alek's hand was the bracer, but she wasn't holding onto it. A purple hand clearly came out of the crystal, and clutched her wrist. The essence of the hand marked itself as her veins looked purple. It went up her right arm up her neck and seemed to end at her eyes, turning them purple.

Pepper clearly knew what was going on. She breathed heavily as she glared at Alek. "Do you think you can stop all of us?" Pepper hissed in anger. "You can't know all of our names!"

Alek frowned as she looked around. She paid Pepper no attention. Her eyes skipped the people who stared at her, and instead focused on the architecture.

Pepper let out a cry of frustration as she tried to move. "Don't ignore me!"

Alek finally looked at her then reached out her left hand. "Take off the ring," she said calmly.

Pepper grounded her teeth. Her left hand shook as she tried to fight Alek's command. "You will regret this," she hissed.

Alek looked at her determinedly. "Harm her not!"

Pepper glared at Alek as she took off the ring. "What?" Pepper asked in her voice as she dropped the ring Alek's left hand. She looked at Tony in concern then quickly backed away from Alek.

Alek clenched her left hand. They heard a loud crunch as grey smoke exploded in front of her. She didn't move as the smoke formed into the body of a woman. The woman screamed in anger, but didn't attack anyone.

"You are a fool. All of you," the woman said as she looked at the crowd who had gathered. She wore a red dress that had a large grey symbol on it. "You are delaying the inevitable. This world was once ours and it'll be ours again."

Alek didn't say a word as she watched her.

"You!" The woman focused her attention toward Alek. "The Archon's Heart will be ours. _You_ will obey our commands."

"Go back to your master and tell them you have failed," Alek said coldly.

The woman screamed in pain as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She looked up into the ceiling and screamed again as her body disintegrated before their eyes.

"Were you harmed?" Alek asked, looking at Pepper.

Pepper shook her head, making Alek smile with relief. "That is good," she said before turning her attention to the guards.

Clint took a step forward, but held his gun up. He wasn't going to take any chances.

"Who are you?" Fury asked her.

The hand disappeared and the bracer fell to the floor, releasing Alek. She blinked in surprise and took a step back before she fell to the ground. Clint rushed toward her, carefully side-stepping the bracer. There was no telling the range or what it even was. He put his arms under Alek's body and lifted her off the ground, moving away from the bracer. Well, it was official. Someone was after the bracer. They had arrived on time, but barely. What kind of ally did Loki have now? And what was this Archon's Heart?

* * *

"I told you not to let it go, Prince Loki!" Hagar snarled as he rushed into the room. Loki looked up from the scroll that was laid across the table, and glared at Hagar. "I told you not to let a single human touch the bracer or else we would…"

"I heard you the first time!" Loki snapped back.

The host that Loki had found for Hagar was nearly as large as the Djinn was in his real form. Although Loki had wanted to give Hagar a much smaller host, he decided against it.

"Do you not trust me, Hagar?" Loki asked coolly, crossing his arms over his chest. He was daring the Djinn to challenge him. Loki knew all of their names and because of that he could also command them.

Hagar frowned before he shook his head. "But now they will have two items with them," he said. "When the little princess Aaliyah comes here with your brother then they can use the two items to find a third."

Loki moved his hand over the scroll, changing the image.

Hagar opened his mouth to say another word when he noticed what Loki had done. "I…" he started then stopped as he bowed his head to Loki. "I should not have questioned you."

Loki walked up to him then grabbed the ring, forcing Hagar to kneel. "Do not attempt to yell at me again," he hissed. "Next time you do, I will take the ring off this host and give it to one you will not like."

"I understand," Hagar murmured as he bowed his head.

Loki let him go then walked back to the table and looked at the image. It appeared as if he were looking through the eyes of a person. And he was. The scrolls showed the images that were seen through a Djinn's eyes. The person used a long stick to place the bracer into a box. Then they grabbed the handle and slowly walked out of the museum.

"Thor will have to explain when he arrives. They will not give him a chance to use the two items. Both items will be in the same spot and we will take them then." Loki didn't bother looking at Hagar as he smiled. It was somewhat risky. But he had a feeling that the humans would want an explanation before they did anything. And that brief moment of weakness he would exploit and take Aaliyah's necklace and the Asgardian bracer. They made his job so much easier.


	6. Coming Together

**A/N: Sorry for such the long wait. Thanks so much for your reviews and continued interest in this story. This chapter was hard for me to write. But I shouldn't take this long to update again on this story. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

**~AH~**

Alek slowly opened her eyes. There was a vague familiarity with her surroundings, but her mind just refused to register anything. She took in a deep breath and groaned in pain. Her body was stiff and she found it difficult to move. She felt as if every single part of her was on fire.

"Good, you're awake," Dr. Corvin said as he walked into her view. "How do you feel?"

She gave him a quick glance before she tried to move. "Terrible," she croaked. She focused her mind and tried to move her arms, but the sheets over her felt as if they were made out of lead.

He seemed to have read her face as he moved the sheets off of her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I was hoping you would tell me," he responded.

She didn't seem to notice that he was carefully watching her. She sat up and slowly stretched her arms and hands. "I'm feeling very sore," she said, examining her hands as if it were the first time she was really looking at them. "Like… I think I feel every single muscle and nerve in my entire body." She frowned. "Was I struck by lightning?"

He didn't answer as he watched her.

She looked up at him then let out a gasp in surprise and covered her mouth. "It possessed me," she said, finally remembering what had happened to her. "How long have I been asleep?"

"A few hours," he replied as he took a step back.

"I have too…" She started to say as she placed her legs over the bed.

"You have to stay in bed," he interrupted as he reached out to her.

"No," she said, brushing him off and placing all of her body weight on her legs. She swayed then focused her eyes on leaving.

"Sit back down, Dr. Novak," Fury's voice boomed, causing her to jump. He walked with determination toward her.

She immediately listened to him.

"I'll be back," Dr. Corvin said as he walked out of the room.

"How do you feel?"

"I think I know how someone feels after they have been struck by lightning. The tips of my fingers are even sore. Is that even possible?" She looked up at him and gave him a shy smile.

He didn't smile. "It appears that your father was incorrect with his report," he said in a softer voice. He had familiarized himself with her father's case.

She gulped then shook her head. "He wasn't."

"He said that the objects had a specific power and could be controlled, not that they controlled people," he stated, crossing his arms. "You mean to tell me that you were in full control of your actions?"

Another gulp. Slowly, she shook her head. She knew her face was red with embarrassment. "It's not evil, sir," she said.

"You will forgive me if I don't quite believe you on that," he said, shaking his head. "I find it hard to believe anything that takes over an unwilling host is anything but evil."

She paled.

He stood straighter and uncrossed his arms. "It did take you unwillingly," he stated firmly.

"No," she whispered.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You mean to say you knew that was going to happen?"

She shook then nodded her head. "I didn't know initially. My only thought was to get the bracer out of her hands and let you deal with it. Papa said that for any of the objects to be of use you would have to put them on. But once it was in my hand I realized that it could help us."

"Is it possible that the bracer is not in fact one of those objects that your father found? Could it be similar to rings and the beings inside them?" Fury asked.

She shook her head. "They're called the Djinn. I've had both. No, this one is different. It's not alive per say, at least, not anymore. It's difficult to explain. I think the best way I can compare is whatever is in the bracer is like JARVIS, Mr. Stark's A.I. to a point. But, it's what's left of a presence of a being no longer alive. The goals and instructions, that the being had at one point, are firmly rooted into it. It can't do much else unless it's allowed. I knew that it would be able to help us, so I let it. The rings are actual beings. You can't stop them from taking over, they just do."

He looked at her thoughtfully, as he contemplated on her words.

"We need to hide it," she continued. "Put it somewhere that say only you know where it's at."

He shook his head. "That can't be easily done now," he said. "In front of many witnesses this new enemy has threatened us. They said that they would get what they called the Archon's Heart. We must get to it before they do."

She paled again, recognizing the name. "El Corazón del Arconte," she whispered in Spanish. When she was a child her family had returned to Peru. It was where they first heard the legend, and where her life had completely changed. She gasped and looked at him with urgency. "You won't tell my father. You can't bring him into this. Not now. He can't... he won't be able to handle it."

Fury sighed. "I know," he said. He paused as he thought of his next move. "But I might not have much of a choice if you're compromised."

"I'm not compromised! Look, the bracer isn't even on me. I can help you find the other objects. There were four in the cave and the bracer was one of them," Alek said.

"But your father was unable to relocate the cave, despite our help," he pointed out.

She nodded. "But the bracer could be the key. It might be able to lead us to the others."

He was quiet for a brief moment before he nodded. "You will brief the Avengers with everything that you know. Once the doctor says you are fit. As for the bracer, you are to stay away from it. Forgive me if I don't share your belief that it is not like one of the rings."

"Finished?" Dr. Corvin asked as he walked into the room.

"For now," Fury replied.

"Am I ready?" Alek asked, almost too excited.

The doctor shook his head, making her sigh. "Need to run a few more tests now that you're awake."

**~AH~**

It seemed like hours before Dr. Corvin let Alek out of the infirmary. She had lied to him when she said she felt just normal. But she was antsy and couldn't stand another minute in the room. Her body still tingled as it tried to figure out what had happened to her. She had never been struck by lightning, but she had a feeling that she knew exactly how those victims felt.

She stopped just outside of the infirmary and shook her head. "What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Director Fury said to escort you to the briefing room," Clint said with a shrug.

She frowned, but started to walk with him. Suddenly, she realized why he was by her side. Fury was worried. There was really no way of telling if she was completely free from the influence of the bracer. "But why you, specifically?" she couldn't help but ask. "I mean, he could have had any old lackey escort me."

"I asked for it."

"You asked for it?" she said in surprise.

He nodded his head. "It's not every day that I get to meet someone else who was possessed and acted against their will. Figured we should probably start a fan club or something."

She laughed, although she didn't want to. "Did you honestly ask to babysit me?" she repeated her question. "I can't believe it. I'm sure there are other things you would rather do."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I've babysat worse," he replied. "And besides, that bracer let you go. I understand Director Fury's precaution, but I think you're safe."

She nodded her head as they walked then frowned. "Let me go?"

"You don't remember?" He seemed a little surprised.

She tilted her head as she thought. "No," she said. "I mean, it's vague, the memory. I feel like I was watching a movie play out from first person perspective."

He nodded, understanding the gaps of memory. While under Loki's control he still had some presence of mind. He had shot Fury, but had not killed the man. Although he had killed others later, there were still times that he found he had restrained himself to a point.

"When you held the bracer it wrapped whatever its essence was around your arm. And then when it seemed like you wanted to let it go everything went back into the bracer."

"Oh," she said softly. She rubbed her left arm and then stopped as her body tensed. Clint turned and looked at her as she stared at the door leading to the bridge and main conference room.

Clint didn't say anything, clearly reading the apprehension in her body. Of course she was nervous. She let out a deep breath before nodding her head and moving forward. The doors opened and the two stepped out into the bridge. Steve and Natasha were quietly talking with each other while Tony and Bruce talked next to them. Tony gave her a quick glance before returning to his conversation, except, Bruce was no longer talking to him as the man turned and smiled at Alek. She gave him a weak smile. She wasn't exactly sure why he was there.

"I hope you're feeling better, Dr. Novak," Steve said.

"Much," she replied. "How is Miss. Potts, Mr. Stark?"

Tony gave her a critical glance. "And what is she doing here?" he asked Fury.

"Dr. Novak has dealt with these things before," Fury answered.

She nodded.

"You fought them?" Steve asked a bit surprised.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "When I was a child. We…"

"We're not about to get a sob story are we?" Tony asked. "I am quite busy."

Alek clenched her fists tightly to keep from yelling. Sob story? She wasn't looking for pity. But she couldn't think of any other way than to explain what had happened. If Fury hadn't been watching her she would have gotten up and walked away.

"Sir," Agent Maria Hill said, interrupting their conversation. "There's something coming towards us."

Fury walked over to her to look at the console she was looking at.

"It's small. I think it's Thor," she said.

Tony clapped his hands together. "About time. He's late," he stated. He didn't wait for anyone to say anything else as he stood up and walked away.

Alek let out a sigh and rubbed her chest. There was no doubt in her mind that she would no longer be needed. After all, Thor had to know more than she did. Although hesitant, she had been a little excited at the thought of being needed.

"I want you to stay here, Dr. Novak," Fury said. "I need you to confirm everything you know with Thor's knowledge."

Her heart leapt at that. So she was still needed.

"Of course." She nodded, doing her best not to smile. She didn't want him to think her odd at being happy.

**~AH~**

Aaliyah wrapped her arms around Thor's neck as they flew through the air. She wasn't cold, despite their speed and height. She didn't even notice as she looked down at the world below her. She couldn't believe she was in Midgard. She wanted him to land for just a moment so that her feet could touch the grass. But they were on a schedule. There would be plenty of time for fun later.

She looked up and spotted the flying ship. It was strange to look at as her eyes tried to trick her into seeing just sky. But she could clearly see the outline. They were using technology to mask their vessel. The problem was that the Djinn were good at seeing things that were being hidden. These people would have no chance once the Djinn invaded.

"We're almost there," she said to Thor. He couldn't see it and was relying on her sight to guide him.

Suddenly, the ship shifted, making it far easier for her to see it. They must have seen them coming uncloaking their ship.

"I see it," he said, confirming her thoughts.

She could see little figures move around the flat deck. It fascinated her how quickly such a species had matured. Yet they still needed the help of a 'god'.

Thor landed on the deck in front of a little group of people. Aaliyah let him go watched the people curiously. They seemed happy to see Thor. They didn't seem to notice her except for one woman with red hair. The woman kept on glancing at Aaliyah.

"Took you long enough," Tony said. "Just how the hell did your brother get out? Didn't you take him because you could keep him keep him imprisoned? Did you bring your daughter?"

Thor sighed and looked at Aaliyah. "He has beaten us here," he said, addressing the girl.

Aaliyah nodded. "She would have figured on our appearance."

He suddenly clasped his hand on her shoulder and looked at his teammates. "This is Aaliyah. She's an ally and come to help," he said. "Now, we mustn't waste more time," he said. "There is much to explain."


End file.
